Minutes  of  the  Heeting 
for  the  Organization 

of  the  Northern 
Baptist  Convention 

Held  at 
Washington,  D.C. 
May  16 ~  17,  1907 


BX 
6207 
.N874 
1907 


UBBAKYOFPWNCETON 

DEC  2  3  2003 


THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


BX6207  .N874  1907 

American  Baptist  Convention. 

Minutes  of  the  meeting  for  til 

e 

organization  of  the  Northern 

Baptist 

Convention  held  at  Washington 

,  D.C. ,  May  16, 

17,  1907. 


2y* 
.^%^minutes 

■5sS>  K         Of  the  Meeting  for  the  Organization  of 

'J 

The  Northern  Baptist  Convention 

-     Held  at 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

May  16,  17,  1907. 
WITH   HISTORICAL   PREFACE,  AND   ADDENDUM. 


ST.  LOUIS: 
ftiE  Frrkgard  Press. 


MINUTES     y, . 

Of  the  Meeting  for  the  Organization  of 

The  Northern  Baptist  Convention 

Held  at 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

May  16,  17,  1907. 
WITH    HISTORICAL   PREFACE,  AND   ADDENDUM. 


* 


ST.  LOUIS: 
The  Freegard  Press. 


Utye  Northern  lapttst  (Unmmiiion 


OFFICERS 


PRESIDENT 

Gov.  Charles  E.  Hughes Albany,  N.  Y. 

VICE-PRESIDENTS 

Pres.  Harry  Pratt  Judson,  LL.D Chicago,  111. 

Rev.  Samuel  H.  Greene,  D.D ,.  .Washington,  D.  C. 

Air.    Corwin  S.  Shank Seattle,  Wash. 

CORRESPONDING  SECRETARY 

Rev.  W.  C.  Bitting,  D.D St.  Louis,  Mo. 

5109  McPherson  Ave. 

RECORDING  SECRETARY 

Mr.    George  Coleman Boston,  Mass. 

TREASURER 

Mr.    William  E.  Lincoln Pittsburg,  Penn. 


ADDITIONAL  MEMBERS  OF  THE  EXECUTIVE 
COMMITTEE 

Rev.  Robert  Ashworth Meriden,  Conn. 

Hon.  Fred  Brasted Oklahoma  City,  Okla. 

Pres.  E.  B.  Bryan,  LL.D Franklin,  Ind. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Conley,  D.D Omaha,  Neb. 

Rev.  L.  A.  Crandall,  D.D Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Franklin Colorado  Springs,  Colo. 

Rev.  B.  A.  Greene,  D.D Evanston,  111. 

Rev.  E.  A.  Hanley Providence,  R.  I. 

Mr.    E.  J.  Lindsay Milwaukee,  Wis. 

Rev.  J.  Y.   Montague Hiawatha,   Kan. 

Rev.  W.  Quay  Rosselle,  D.D Williamsport,  Penn. 

Rev.  F.  H.  Rowley,  D.D Boston,  Mass. 

Mr.    E.  M.  Runyan Portland,  Ore. 

Rev.  F.  W.  Sweet Adrian,  Mich. 

Mr.   J.  R.  Vaughan Waterloo,  Iowa. 


•Proutatonal  (Hottatttutiott  an&  Sg-ICauiB 


PREAMBLE. 


We,  representatives  of  Baptist  churches,  in  convention  as- 
sembled, do  hereby  declare  our  belief  in  the  independence  of  the 
local  church,  in  the  advisory  and  representative  nature  of  the 
local  and  state  associations,  and  our  loyalty  to  all  our  denomina- 
tional organizations.  We  do  also  affirm  our  conviction  that,  in 
view  of  the  growth  of  our  country  and  denomination,  there  is 
further  need  of  a  general  body  that  shall  serve  the  common  inter- 
ests of  our  entire  brotherhood,  as  the  individual  church,  the  dis- 
trict and  state  associations  minister  to  the  interests  of  their 
several  constituencies.  We  do  therefore  organize  ourselves  under 
the  following 

CONSTITUTION. 


Article  I.  The  name  of  this  organization  shall  be  the 
Northern  Baptist  Convention. 

OBJECT. 

Article  II.  The  object  of  this  Convention  shall  be  to  give 
expression  to  the  sentiment  of  its  constituency  upon  matters  of 
denominational  importance  and  of  general  religious  and  moral 
interest;  to  develop  denominational  unity;  and  to  give  increased 
efficiency  to  efforts  for  the  evangelization  of  America  and  the 
world. 

MEMBERSHIP. 

Article  III.  This  Convention  shall  be  composed  of  dele- 
gates, appointed  by  churches,  local  associations,  and  other  or- 
ganizations, as  follows : 

Section.  1.     Each  church  may  appoint  one  delegate  and  one 


5 

additional  delegate  for  every  one  hundred  members,  or  fraction 
thereof,  above  the  first  one  hundred. 

Section  2.  Each  local  or  district  association  may  appoint 
two  delegates  and  one  additional  delegate  for  every  ten  churches, 
or  fraction  thereof,  above  the  first  ten. 

Section  3.  Officers  and  executive  boards  or  committees  of 
state  conventions,  and  denominationally  recognized  missionary, 
educational  and  philanthropic  organizations  may  be  ex-otHcio 
members  of  this  convention. 

OFFICERS. 

Article  IV.  Section  1.  The  officers  of  this  Convention 
shall  be  a  president,  three  vice-presidents,  a  corresponding  secre- 
tary, a  recording  secretary,  and  a  treasurer,  who,  together  with 
fifteen  other  members  shall  constitute  an  executive  committee, 
any  member  of  a  Baptist  church  in  the  territory  of  the  Conven- 
tion being  eligible  to  office. 

Section  2.  The  officers  shall  serve  from  the  close  of  the 
meeting  of  the  Convention  during  which  they  are  elected  to  the 
close  of  the  next  meeting  of  the  Convention,  or  until  their  suc- 
cessors are  elected. 

AMENDMENTS. 

Article  V.  Amendments  to  this  constitution  may  be  made 
by  a  vote  of  the  majority  of  delegates  present  at  any  regular  ses- 
sion of  the  Convention,  after  notice  thereof  has  been  given  in 
writing  by  any  five  members  at  a  previous  annual  meeting,  or 
by  the  executive  committee  of  the  Convention. 

BY-LAWS. 

I.  This  Convention  shall  meet  annually  in  May. 

II.  At  the  first  session  of  each  annual  meeting  an  enrollment 
of  delegates  shall  be  made  and  a  nominating  committee  shall  be 
appointed. 

III.  A  collection  for  the  expenses  of  the  Convention  shall 
be  taken  each  year  at  a  time  to  be  determined  by  the  Executive 
Committee. 


IV.  No  other  appeals  for  money  shall  be  made  nor  collec- 
tions taken,  which  have  not  been  approved  by  the  Executive 
Committee. 

V.  The  Executive  Committee  shall  make  arrangements  for 
the  annual  meetings,  after  conference  with  the  Executive  Com- 
mittees or  boards  of  the  societies,*  make  an  annual  report  to  the 
Convention,  and  care  for  its  interests  between  the  annual  meet- 
ings. 

VI.  These  by-laws  may  be  amended  at  any  meeting  of  the 
Convention  by  a  majority  vote,  after  notice  of  the  proposed 
amendment  has  been  presented  in  writing  and  signed  by  at  least 
ten  delegates. 


♦["Societies"  refers  to  The  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  The 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  and  The  American  Baptist 
Publication  Society.— Cor.  Sec'y.] 


Sjtstonral  frpfar?. 

(The  Executive  Committee  thinks  it  wise  that  the  min- 
utes of  the  meetings  at  which  the  Northern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion was  provisionally  organized,  should  be  preceded  by  a  state- 
ment concerning  the  steps  which  led  to  those  meetings.  This  is 
done  to  aid  in  a  proper  understanding  of  the  movement.) 

(1)  In  May,  1896,  at  Asbury  Park,  N.  J.,  "A  Commis- 
sion on  Systematic  Beneficence"  was  created,  by  the  adoption  of 
a  series  of  resolutions  presented  by  the  finance  committee  of  the 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union.  These  resolutions  were 
also  adopted  by  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society, 
and  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society.  Rev.  F.  M. 
Ellis,  D.D.,  of  Baltimore,  Maryland,  then  declared,  "We  have 
unified  the  denomination  at  the  contribution  box,  and  that  is 
next  to  the  throne  of  grace." 

(2)  In  May,  1897,  the  Women's  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society  adopted  resolutions,  urging  Northern  Baptists  to  com- 
bine all  their  missionary  periodicals  into  one,  and  pointed  out 
the  waste  occasioned  by  the  current  method  of  publishing  num- 
erous journals.  At  the  Anniversaries  the  same  year,  the  report 
of  the  Commission  on  Systematic  Beneficence  called  attention 
to  the  significant  and  the  suggestive  example  of  the  joint  efforts 
which  had  been  made  during  the  previous  year  by  the  three  gen- 
eral societies  to  cancel  their  debts. 

(3)  In  November,  1898,  at  the  meeting  of  the  Baptist  Con- 
gress in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  George  E.  Horr,  D.D.,  then  editor 
of  The  Watchman,  declared,  "There  is  a  great  opportunity  for 
the  denomination  to  harmonize  its  missionary  work.  *  *  *  * 
There  is  just  as  much  necessity  that  the  work  of  the  Missionary 
Union,  the  Home  Mission  Society  and  the  Publication  Society 
should  be  harmonized, — note  that  I  do  not  use  the  word  unified, 
— should  be  harmonized,  as  there  ever  was  that  our  controversies 
in  regard  to  the  Bible  question  should  be  adjusted,  as  they  were 
at  Saratoga  a  number  of  years  ago."     This  significant  deliverance 


was  the  subject  of  much  comment.  The  denominational  press, 
particularly  The  Standard,  started  discussion  which  increased 
the  sentiment  in  favor  of  a  closer  relation  between  the  organ- 
izations that  were  conducting  our  denominational  work. 

(4)  So  far  the  discussion  had  related  principally  to  the 
harmonious  co-operation  of  distinct  organizations.  It  was  inevi- 
table that  such  discussions  should  produce  a  feeling  in  the  hearts, 
and  a  conviction  in  the  minds  of  many  intelligent  Baptists  that 
our  brotherhood  should  be  more  pronounced  and  an  exhibition 
of  it  in  Christian  work  more  manifest. 

(5)  In  May,  1900,  at  the  Anniversaries  in  Detroit,  Mich., 
"A  Commission  on  Co-Ordination",  composed  of  representatives 
of  the  general  societies,  including  the  women's  organizations, 
with  Mr.  Stephen  Greene,  of  Massachusetts,  as  chairman,  was 
appointed  to  consider  the  better  co-ordination  of  our  denomina- 
tional work.  The  duties  of  this  commission  were :  "To  consider 
the  relative  amounts  which  the  denomination  should  be  asked 
to  furnish  for  our  different  benevolent  enterprises,  and  also  to 
consider  the  practicability  of  more  closely  co-ordinating  the  dif- 
ferent departments  of  our  denominational  work,  and  to  make  such 
other  recommendations  as  in  their  judgment  they  may  deem 
wise." 

(6)  In  May,  1901,  in  Springfield,  Mass.,  there  was  held  the 
first  of  several  general  meetings  of  the  denomination.  This  was 
a  mass  meeting  on  "Co-Ordination."  The  report  of  Mr.  Stephen 
Greene,  of  Newton  Center,  Mass.,  chairman  of  the  committee, 
made  six  notable  suggestions.    Among  them  was  one  that 

"The  best  interests  of  our  work  as  a  denomination  re- 
quire that  the  annual  gatherings  of  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society,  the  American  Baptist  Missionary 
Union  and  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  should 
be  representative  and  delegated  bodies,  having  the  same 
basis  of  representation,  so  that  the  delegates  to  the  three 
societies  shall  be,  so  far  as  possible,  identical. 

"As  a  step  necessary  toward  this  end  we  recommend 
that  the  several  societies,  at  the  earliest  possible  date,  and 
after   mutual   consultation   through   their   executive   boards, 


change  their  constitution  so  as  to  require  the  same  qualifica- 
tions of  voters  at  their  anniversaries. 

"It  is  believed  that  such  action  is  fundamental,  and  if 
taken  would  create  an  atmosphere  in  which  a  'better  co- 
ordination' would  be  possible.  If  the  executive  officers  and 
boards  of  our  several  societies  could  be  brought  to  realize, 
as  such  action  would  help  them  to  see,  that  their  constitu- 
encies were  actually  one,  a  distinct  advantage  would  be 
gained,  and  if  the  representatives  of  our  churches  could  go 
up  to  the  Anniversaries  with  the  clear  conviction  that  an 
actual  responsibility  concerning  the  entire  work  of  the  de- 
nomination rested  upon  them,  it  is  certain  that  a  better  co- 
ordination of  the  different  departments  of  our  work  would 
be  the  result." 

It  was  at  this  general  denominational  meeting  that  many  re- 
marks were  made  upon  the  need  for  reforming  the  method  of 
conducting  our  Anniversaries,  and  for  improving  the  existing 
scheme  of  representation.  Objections  to  the  proposed  uni- 
form basis  of  representation  were  raised  to  the  effect  that  it  was 
a  step  towards  consolidation.  There  were  also  vague  references 
to  an  impression  that  there  was  competition  and  rivalary  between 
the  societies. 

The  Women's  Home  Missionary  Society,  during  these  Anni- 
versaries, adopted  resolutions  favoring  co-ordination,  and  advis- 
ing that  a  period  of  five  years  be  devoted  to  adjusting  existing 
interests  without  the  injury  of  any. 

At  these  Anniversaries  also,  another  recommendation  of  the 
committee  of  which  Mr.  Greene  was  chairman,  was  adopted, 
providing  for  an  annual  joint  meeting  of  executive  boards  or 
committees  of  the  societies,  but  a  recommendation  to  publish  a 
joint  missionary  periodical  was  rejected. 

Another  recommendation  was  adopted  to  appoint  a  com- 
mittee of  nine,  to  consider  the  matter  of  district  secretaryships  of 
the  societies,  and  the  relations  of  collection  agencies. 

This  was  a  most  notable  meeting.  It  had  a  marked  influ- 
ence upon  the  growing  desire  for  co-ordination  and  orderly  pro- 
cedure. It  is  claimed  that  from  this  meeting,  and  from  the  re- 
port presented  by  Mr.  Greene,  dates  the  denominational  move- 
ment, resulting  in  the  formation  of  the  Northern  Baptist  Con- 
vention. 


10 

(7)  In  December,  1901,  in  New  York  City,  there  was  held 
an  important  conference  of  the  executive  boards  and  committees 
of  the  societies,  in  accordance  with  a  recommendation  adopted 
at  Springfield.  At  this  conference,  among  the  questions  dis- 
cussed was,  "What  Changes,  if  Any,  are  Desirable  and  Feasible 
in  our  Denominational  Work?"  A  committee  was  also  appointed 
to  take  into  consideration  the  matter  of  the  relations  of  the  col- 
lection agencies  of  the  societies.  It  was  voted  to  submit  the 
methods  involved  in  the  operation  of  the  several  societies  to  a 
general  meeting  of  the  societies  to  be  held  in  St.  Paul. 

(8)  In  May,  1902,  at  the  Anniversaries  in  St.  Paul,  Minn., 
resolutions  offered  by  Dr.  Lemuel  Moss,  at  a  meeting  of  the 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  were  almost  unanimously 
adopted,  providing  for  a  committee  of  fifteen  persons  who  were 
to  ascertain  whether  there  was  any  lack  of  proper  adjustment 
and  co-operation  between  the  three  societies,  including  organiza- 
tions associated  with  them,  as  to  fields  of  labor,  collecting  and 
other  agencies,  and  methods  of  work,  and  whether  there  could  be 
an  improvement  in  the  mutual  relations  of  these  agencies.  These 
resolutions  were  also  adopted  by  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society,  and  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society. 

The  committee  appointed  at  the  mid-year  conference  in 
New  York  City,  in  December,  1901,  reported  that,  "in  view  of 
existing  conditions,  neither  economy  nor  efficiency  would  be  fur- 
thered by  the  adoption  of  the  method  of  employing  one  man  to 
represent  the  three  societies."  At  a  general  conference  of  the 
three  societies,  during  their  Anniversaries  in  St.  Paul,  the  report 
of  this  committee  was  brought  up  for  consideration,  and  a  motion 
to  appoint  one  district  secretary  to  represent  the  three  societies 
in  a  given  territory  was  defeated  by  a  vote  of  127  for  it,  to  135 
against.  The  whole  matter  was  then  referred  to  the  committee 
of  fifteen  provided  for  in  the  resolution  offered  by  Dr.  Moss. 

At  the  same  general  conference  of  the  three  societies,  the 
publication  of  one  missionary  magazine  was  also  considered,  and 
after  opposition  to  such  a  consolidation  of  missionary  maga- 
zines, it  was  voted  to  appoint  a  committee  to  investigate  and  re- 
port upon  the  matter. 


11 

(9)  In  May,  1903,  at  the  Anniversaries  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
the  Committee  of  Fifteen  appointed  the  previous  year  at  St.  Paul, 
reported  that  consolidation  of  the  three  societies  was  neither 
practical  nor  desirable,  and  left  matters  practically  where  they 
were.  However,  their  report  resulted  in  the  appointment  of  a 
Committee  of  Conference,  consisting  of  nine  persons,  "to  which 
all  matters  of  controversy  between  the  missionary  societies  should 
be  referred,  and  which  should  have  authority  to  settle  such  con- 
troversies in  the  name  of  the  denomination."  This  committee 
has  had  no  matters  brought  before  it,  and  indeed  has  had  no  ex- 
istence since  the  year  expired  for  which  it  was  appointed.  No  at- 
tention has  been  paid  to  it,  and  no  appointments  have  been  made 
to  membership  upon  it  since  the  Anniversaries  that  created  it. 

(10)  In  May,  1904,  at  the  Anniversaries  in  Cleveland,  O., 
there  was  another  general  denomination  meeting  at  which,  how- 
ever, no  opportunity  was  given  to  discuss  general  denominational 
matters.  At  this  meeting,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  repre- 
sent the  Baptists  of  the  North,  in  co-operation  with  other  com- 
mitttees,  in  a  proposed  Baptist  World  Congress  to  be  held  in 
London.  This  Congress  met  in  1905  and  was  not  only  sugges- 
tive, but  decidedly  helpful  to  the  movement  for  denominational 
solidarity.  The  same  effect  was  produced  by  the  formation  of 
the  General  Convention  of  the  Baptists  of  North  America,  in 
Saint  Louis  in  May,  1905. 

(11)  In  September,  1906,  the  Chicago  Baptist  Association, 
after  listening  to  a  notable  paper  entitled,  "An  Awakening  Con- 
sciousness of  Denominational  Unity,  What  Does  it  Demand?" 
adopted  the  following  resolution : 

For  years  there  has  been  a  growing  belief  among  our 
churches  that  there  should  be  more  coherence  in  our  mis- 
sionary work,  and  especially  that  our  Baptist  Anniversaries 
should  be  made  more  helpful  to  denominational  unity.  The 
splendid  work  now  carried  on  by  our  several  missionary 
societies  ought  to  be  more  widely  extended ;  and  there  should 
be  some  platform  from  which  may  be  voiced  the  sentiments 
of  the  denomination  upon  movements  and  policies  which 
concern  the  denomination  as  a  whole,  and  are  not  germane  to 
the  work  of  any  one  of  our  present  societies  exclusively. 


12 

In  view  of  the  widspread  dissatisfaction  with  present 
arrangements  for  conducting  our  Baptist  Anniversaries,  dis- 
satisfaction which  in  no  degree  concerns  the  honored  leaders 
of  our  denominational  societies,  but  which  concerns  arrange- 
ments and  policies  and  precedents  growing  out  of  the  nature 
of  the  organizations  and  their  history,  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  the  Chicago  Baptist  Association,  con- 
sisting of  over  20,000  Baptists,  puts  upon  record  its  earnest 
desire  for  greater  effectiveness  in  the  conduct  of  our  great 
annual  meetings,  known  popularly  as  the  Baptist  Anniver- 
saries. 

In  order  that  reasonable  steps  may  be  taken  looking  to 
improvements,  this  association  urges  the  executives  of  our 
national  societies  to  call  a  joint  meeting  of  all  societies  in 
connection  with  the  Anniversaries  of  May,  1907.  That  for 
this  meeting  a  suitable  program  be  provided  by  the  executive 
boards  of  the  societies ;  that  provision  be  made  for  the  per- 
manent organization  of  a  general  association  or  convention 
representing  all  the  northern  Baptist  churches;  that  one  of 
the  special  functions  of  this  association  or  convention  shall 
be  the  appointment  of  a  representative  committee  on  arrange- 
ment to  act  in  connection  with  the  boards  of  the  societies 
in  unifying  and  improving  the  exercises  of  all  the  meetings 
of  all  the  societies  whose  anniversaries  are  held  each  May ; 
that  this  general  association  or  convention  be  so  organized 
and  its  objects  be  so  stated  that  it  shall  voice  to  a  large 
degree  the  trend  of  denominational  sentiment  and  policy  in 
such  matters  as  touch  the  welfare  of  all  the  churches,  leav- 
ing to  the  societies  the  management  of  the  great  missionary 
and  publication  work  which  they  are  now  conducting. 

Resolved,  That  if  no  steps  are  taken  by  the  boards  of  the 
societies  before  April  1,  1907,  to  call  such  a  general  or  joint 
meeting  as  proposed,  that  the  moderator  of  this  association 
be  empowered  to  appoint  a  committee  to  act  in  conjunction 
with  other  committees  and  representatives  of  churches  in 
this  and  other  states  to  consider  the  advisability  of  calling  a 
general  convention  or  association  for  the  purposes  specified. 

(12)  In  November,  1906,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Baptist 
Congress  in  Saint  Louis,  Mo.,  a  conference  was  held  in  which 
brethren  from  different  parts  of  the  country  participated.  It 
was  decided  to  call  the  attention  of  the  general  societies  to  the 
widespread  demand  for  an  organized  expression  of  denomina- 
tional unity.      The    following    petition,    numerously   signed  by 


prominent  ministers  and  laymen  from  all  parts  of  the  country, 
was  addressed  to  the  secretaries  of  the  societies : 

To  the  Corresponding  Secretaries  of 

The  American  Baptist    Missionary  Union  ;  and 
The  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society ;  and 
The  American  Baptist  Publication  Society, 

Dear  Brethren: 

In  view  of  the  growing  desire,  most  recently  shown  by 
state  conventions,  district  associations,  and  persons,  for  an 
organization  through  which  Northern  Baptists  may  con- 
sider the  manifold  interests  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
express  a  denominational  opinion  thereon,  we  respectfully 
request  you  to  set  apart,  during  the  Anniversaries  of  the 
societies  in  1907,  at  least  one  morning  and  afternoon,  as 
near  the  middle  of  the  week  as  possible,  for  a  meeting  to 
consider  the  expediency  of  such  an  organization. 

We  suggest  that  in  your  call  for  this  meeting,  if  you 
consent  to  issue  it,  each  church  be  requested  to  appoint  its 
pastor  and  two  delegates,  who  shall  represent  it  at  this 
meeting,  with  power  to  effect  the  organization  if  found  de- 
sirable. 

This  request  is  addressed  to  you  in  order  to  avoid  even 
an  apparent  expression  of  any  unfriendly  attitude  towards 
our  heartily  appreciated  denominational  societies  or  their 
executive  officers. 

(13)  December  11th,  1906,  in  compliance  with  the  request 
of  those  brethren,  the  following  call  was  issued  for  the  meeting 
at  which  the  Convention  was  provisionally  organized : 

Whereas,  in  various  quarters  a  desire  has  been  ex- 
pressed for  a  meeting  in  connection  with  the  Anniversaries 
at  Washington,  D.  C,  in  1907,  to  consider  the  question  of  a 
general  organization  of  Baptists  as  represented  in  the  con- 
stituencies of  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  and  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society;  the  undersigned  acting  upon 
the  request  of  those  interested  in  the  subject,  and  with  the 
approval  of  their  respective  boards,  and  representing  their 
joint  committee  on  the  Anniversaries,  do  hereby  formally 
call  a  meeting  of  those  who  shall  be  entitled  to  membership 
in  these  societies,  and  of  others  who  shall  be  formally  ap- 
pointed by  their  churches  to  participate  in  the  deliberations, 
on  Thursday  evening,  May  16,  and  Friday  forenoon,  May 


14 


17,  at  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church,  Washington,  D.  C,  for 
the  purpose  of  effecting  a  general  organization,  if  it  shall 
be  deemed  desirable  to  do  so;  and  suggest  that  Thursday 
evening,  Rev.  W.  C.  Bitting,  D.D.,  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  ad- 
dress the  body  for  fifteen  minutes  upon  a  motion  to  form 
such  an  organization,  to  be  followed  by  Rev.  A.  J.  Row- 
land, D.D.,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  in  an  address  of  ten  min- 
utes in  seconding  the  motion;  these  to  be  followed  by  gen- 
eral discussion  in  which  speakers  shall  be  limited  to  five 
minutes  each;  and  that  Friday  forenoon  be  devoted  to  the 
consideration  of  the  report  of  the  committee  on  organization 
with  an  address  of  twenty  minutes  by  Prof.  Shailer  Mathews 
on  the  functions  of  such  an  organization,  followed  by  gen- 
eral discussion,  speakers  being  limited  to  five  minutes  each. 
H.  L.  Morehouse, 
T.  S.  Barbour, 
A.  J.  Rowland, 

Committee. 


UJttmtrs  of  the  Heelings 

AT    WHICH    THE    NORTHERN    BAPTIST    CONVENTION     WAS 
PROVISIONALLY  ORGANIZED. 

Washington,  D.  C,  May  16,  1907. 

1.  Pursuant  to  a  call  issued  by  Secretaries  H.  L.  More- 
house, of  The  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society;  T.  S. 
Barbour,  of  The  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  and  A.  J. 
Rowland,  of  The  American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  acting 
upon  a  generally  expressed  request  for  a  meeting  in  connection 
with  the  Anniversaries  of  those  societies  to  consider  the  ques- 
tion of  the  formation  of  a  General  Organization  of  Baptists  in 
the  constituencies  of  the  societies  named,  a  meeting  was  held 
in  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church,  Washington,  D.  C.  It  was  called 
to  order  by  H.  L.  Morehouse,  who  also  presented  an  order  of 
service  that  was  adopted. 

2.  F.  H.  Rowley,  of  Mass.,  was  chosen  chairman.  Prayer 
was  offered  by  George  E.  Rees  of  Penna.  The  congregation 
sang  the  hymn  "Jesus,  Saviour,  pilot  me."  J.  G.  Walker;  of 
Penna.,  was  chosen  secretary. 

3.  Addresses  on  "The  Need  and  Value  of  a  General  Or- 
ganization" were  delivered  by  W.  C.  Bitting,  of  Mo.,  and  A.  J. 
Rowland,  of  Penna. 

4.  The  address  of  W.  C.  Bitting  embodied  the  following 
resolutions,  which  were  adopted  seriatim,  after  remarks  by  W. 
S.  Shallenberger,  of  Washington,  D.  C. ;  H.  B.  Williams,  of 
Mass. ;  C.  W.  Chamberlin,  of  Mass. ;  H.  L.  Morehouse,  of  N.  Y. ; 
Galusha  Anderson,  of  Mass.,  and  S.  J.  Langford,  of  N.  Y. 

Resolved,  That  we,  representatives  of  Baptist  churches, 
in  convention  assembled,  do  hereby  declare  our  belief  in  the 
independence  of  the  local  church,  in  the  advisory  and  repre- 
sentative nature  of  the  local  and  state  associations,  and  our 
loyalty  to  the  work  of  our  missionary  and  educational  so- 
cieties ;  and, 

Resolved,  That  we  do  also  affirm  our  conviction  that,  in 
view  of  the  growth  of  our  country  and  denomination,  there 
is  further  need  of  a  general  body  that  shall  serve  the  common 
interests  of  our  entire  brotherhood,  as  the  individual  church, 


16 

the  district  and  state  associations  minister  to  the  interests 
of  their  several  constituencies ;  and, 

Resolved,  That  we  do  now  proceed  to  organize  ourselves 
into  such  a  body. 

5.  L.  A.  Crandall,  of  Minn.,  submitted  the  following,  which 
was  adopted  after  extended  conference  participated  in  by  Mor- 
nay  Williams,  of  N.  Y. ;  H.  L.  Morehouse,  of  N.  Y.;  G.  E. 
Rees,  of  Penna.;  S.  J.  Langford,  of  N.  Y.;  D.  DeWolf,  of 
N.  J. ;  R.  H.  Tracy,  of  Ohio. ;  D.  G.  Garabrant,  of  N.  J. ;  J.  W. 
Brougher,  of  Ore.,  and  W.  P.  Hellings,  of  N.  Y. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  fifteen  brethren  be  ap- 
pointed to  draft  a  plan  of  organization ;  to  which  committee 
the  matters  now  under  discussion  shall  be  referred  for  fur- 
ther consideration;  said  committee  to  report  at  the  session 
to-morrow  morning. 

6.  The  following  brethren  were  named  by  the  chairman  to 
serve  on  the  committee: 

W.  S.  Shallenberger,  D.  C.,  'Walter  Calley,  Pa., 

.  L.  A.  Crandall,  Minn.,  B.  A.  Greene,  111., 

L.  C.  Barnes,  Mass.,  J.  M.  English,  Mass., 

W.  C.  Bitting,  Mo.,  C.  C.  Barry,  Mass., 

Shailer  Mathews,  111.,  J.  S.  Dickerson,  111., 

H.  L.  Morehouse,  N.  Y.,  J.  W.  Brougher,  Ore., 

A.  J.  Rowland,  Pa.,  C.  H.  Moss,  Mass. 
F.  P.  Haggard,  Mass., 

7.  Adjourned  after  prayer  by  L.  C.  Barnes,  of  Mass. 

May  17th,  Morning  Session. 

8.  The  meeting  re-assembled  at  9:45  o'clock.  After  sing- 
ing the  hymn  "My  faith  looks  up  to  Thee,"  prayer  was  offered 
by  Galusha  Anderson,  of  Mass. 

9.  The  minutes  of  yesterday's  session  were  read  and  ap- 
proved. 

10.  On  behalf  of  the  committee  of  fifteen  L.  A.  Crandall, 
of  Minn.,  submitted  a  report  as  follows : 


REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE. 

Your  committee,  to  whom  was  referred  for  considera- 
tion the  form  of  the  proposed  Union  or  Convention  of 
Northern  Baptists  and  the  preparation  of  a  constitution  and 
by-laws  for  the  same,  begs  leave  to  report  as  follows : 

I.  We  recommend  that  the  organization,  to  the  crea- 
tion of  which  we  shall  proceed  at  this  time,  be  a  provisional 
one  on  the  basis  of  the  constitution  and  by-laws  to  be  pre- 
sented in  this  report.  Said  constitution  and  by-laws  to  be 
subject  to  final  ratification  next  May  by  a  convention  as- 
sembled in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  said  constitution 
and  by-laws. 

II.  We  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  following  provis- 
ional constitution  and  by-laws : 

(For  the  provisional  constitution  and  by-laics  see  pages  4-6.) 

11.  Pending  the  consideration  of  this  report  an  address 
was  delivered  by  Shailer  Mathews,  of  III,  on  "The  Functions 
of  the  Proposed  Organization". 

12.  After  amendment  and  conference,  the  recommenda- 
tions of  the  committee,  and  its  plan  of  organization,  were  adopted. 

13.  On  behalf  of  the  committee  of  fifteen  H.  L.  More- 
house submitted  a  further  report  recommending  a  list  of  officers 
to  serve  during  the  year.  The  recommendation  was  adopted 
and  the  officers  named  were  declared  elected. 

(See  list  of  officers  page  3.) 

14.  It  was  voted  that  the  minutes  of  these  meetings  be 
printed  and  distributed  under  the  direction  of  a  special  commit- 
tee composed  of  the  officers  of  the  Convention. 

15.  It  was  voted  that  the  corresponding  secretary  be  in- 
structed to  send  greetings  to  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention 
now  in  session  at  Richmond,  Ya. 

16.  A  collection,  amounting  to  $42.57  was  taken  at  a  ses- 
sion of  The  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  for  the  ex- 
penses of  the  Convention. 

17.  A  communication  concerning  temperance  was  referred 
to  the  Executive  Committee. 

18.  Adjourned  after  prayer  by  H.  L.  Morehouse,  of  N.  Y. 

J.  G.  Walker,  Secretary. 


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